Vedros
patreon
Traveler: Chapter 23
🕑 Added 2024-07-02 16:30:02 +0000 UTCHigh in the Himalayas nestled between the soaring peaks, the mysterious institution known as Kamar-Taj was a hub of quiet activity. Robed figures moved with purpose between various structures – some carrying scrolls, others deep in hushed conversation. In one corner, a small group of sorcerers practiced fluid, dance-like movements, their synchronization suggesting a prolonged period of discipline in the art.
The scent of incense wafted from an open doorway, mingling with the earthy aroma of evening tea as the Sorcerer Supreme known as The Ancient One sat, gently rotating the clay pot. A gong sounded deep in the distance, its deep resonance seemingly vibrating through the very stones of the sanctuary, and the bald woman glanced up, a small smile overtaking her features.
As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the pristine courtyard, a lone figure appeared at the main gate. The man, in his early to mid-twenties, was flanked by two women on either side of him, and two unconscious women were levitating right in front of them, an ethereal golden glow surrounding them. Their modern attire contrasted heavily with the timeless atmosphere of their surroundings.
Curious glances were sent their way as the group took their first steps into the courtyard and made their way across, the two women glancing around them in fascination.
Harry’s eyes scanned their surroundings and it did not take long for a familiar face to approach them. A serene figure in flowing yellow robes glided toward them, the Ancient One’s lips curling into a subtle smile of recognition.
“Harry Potter,” she greeted, her voice calm yet tinged with curiosity. She cast a glance on his companions, both conscious and otherwise, and smiled cordially. “I sense this isn’t a social call.”
Harry nodded, and there was a hint of tension apparent in his demeanor as he led everyone in. “I’m afraid not. We need an… expert opinion, shall I say…”
Behind Harry, Natasha and Maria walked in, their expressions tense.
The Ancient One’s gaze swept over the unconscious forms once again, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I see. We should take this somewhere more comfortable and private, then.”
With a graceful gesture, she turned around and led the group through the winding corridors to a secluded chamber. Ancient tapestries adorned the walls, depicting several cosmic events and mystical symbols. The natural air was heavy with the scent of incense and old parchment.
A modest sitting arrangement awaited them. There was a small table to the side where a clay pot rested, a modest burner heating it. Multiple cushions were placed on the floor and they watched the Ancient One as she took her place by the pot.
Harry gently levitated Felicia and Sylvia over to the cushioned floor before he helped Maria and Natasha onto the cushions, taking his place between them.
The Ancient One leaned over the two women, their bodies surrounded by the same mystical golden glow, and they watched as she hovered her hands over their forms, delving deep into the unseen and the unknown.
“They were exposed to the Mind Stone,” Harry explained, running a hand through his hair. “Or rather, I think Sylvia was. Felicia used the scepter that housed the Mind Stone on her, and the reaction was… rather violent. Had I known, I would’ve prevented it at all costs.”
“And I assume this one is Sylvia?” the woman in yellow asked without taking her eyes off the two unconscious women.
“Yeah,” Harry nodded. “I hoped, given your expertise as a long-time guardian of the Time Stone, you might have some insight.”
The Ancient One’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she stared at the two unconscious women. “The Infinity Stones are not to be trifled with, as I’m sure you’re aware. If I had to guess, their minds are in turmoil, caught between multiple realities.” She turned to Harry with an intense gaze. “I need to understand clearly what happened. Walk me through the events that led to this.”
Harry took a deep breath and began explaining everything. He told her about Sylvia’s true origins, what she had been up to, and what she had planned. The Ancient One listened attentively as he described how he had successfully subdued the woman and had kept her under control until their interrogation when Felicia decided to take the matter into her hands to prove herself right.
“And as I told you, Felicia pressed the scepter against Sylvia’s temple and there was a massive explosion of colors. They’ve been like this ever since.”
“Have you tried using your powers to reverse the effects?” The Ancient One asked Harry who frowned.
“I did,” he nodded. “And it’s a relief that I managed to keep the stone’s extreme effects away from them. You said their minds might be caught between multiple realities. Well, when I tapped into the connection, I was able to reverse it. They’ve been unconscious, but that’s the most we’ve got to worry about.”
“Medical scans also show that they are only unconscious,” Natasha added, nodding.
“But every spell I’ve tried on them tells me the same thing,” Harry said gravely. “That they’re in some sort of limbo. That the effects of the Mind Stone are still influencing them. I might have managed to take care of the most severe issues but it hasn’t been reversed completely yet.”
The Ancient One listened to everything intently, her fingers steepled in thought. “The Mind Stone has the power to expand consciousness beyond normal limits. It’s fortunate that you have managed as much, or their minds might have been exposed to realities and dimensions they are not equipped to process. It is uncharted territory, and we cannot predict what could have happened to them.”
“Is there anything in particular you’ve felt?” Maria asked hopefully.
“The influence is much stronger on this one,” she said, gesturing toward Sylvia. “She has been exposed to its powers for a while now, her emotions amplified under its effects. There are multiple possibilities regarding this as well. Perhaps her ability to feel happiness was influenced, or maybe her rage. It is safe to say that this was targeted.”
Harry’s eyes widened alongside Maria and Natasha as they stared at the Ancient One. What she had theorized was very close to what Felicia had been saying since the beginning – Sylvia had been influenced by the Mind Stone in some way.
“Humor be for a bit then,” Harry said, his voice uncharacteristically somber. “Suppose someone has unresolved emotions regarding something. You are saying it is possible to target and amplify those emotions to give them a purpose so that they act in a certain way? That it could motivate them to do something they otherwise wouldn’t?”
“Indeed,” the Ancient One nodded. “I believe you are talking about Sylvia’s unresolved anger and disgruntlement with Odin and how it might have been taken advantage of by someone to make her do something she otherwise wouldn’t have?”
Harry remained silent under her pointed stare, and the Ancient One closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
“The Infinity Stones have been appearing rapidly,” she began, fixing a firm gaze on Harry. “Something of this magnitude has never happened before.”
“What are you saying, exactly?” Natasha asked in a foreboding voice.
The Ancient One kept her eyes trained on Harry. “Do you remember what we talked about when you came here the last time, Harry Potter?” She asked, and something flashed in Harry’s eyes. The woman continued, “The one obsessed with Mother Death approaches, his sights affixed on the ancient relics. Distorted with a heinous vision, unite them he will, to bring untold peril. Only her Master shall bring upon eternal salvation, holding the relic long forgotten: The one to rule them all.”
“I don’t need you to remind me of that prophecy,” Harry said with gritted teeth. His mind was still occupied by the revelation that Sylvia’s mind and emotions had indeed been tampered with. Someone had influenced her to carry out his bidding, someone who, as this prophecy said, was obsessed with Death and had his sights affixed on the Infinity Stones. The purpose was obvious – mass destruction and genocide on a cosmic scale.
“Then you should not forget about the true enemy,” the Ancient One responded calmly. “You should never discount the fact that when these ancient relics are concerned, it is very much possible that he is somehow involved.”
Maria and Natasha sat quietly, both aware of what was being discussed. They both reached out and placed comforting hands over Harry’s shoulders, squeezing gently to convey their everlasting support.
“What can we do about them?” He finally asked, nodding at the Ancient One promisingly. He would not make the same mistake again.
“Allow me a moment,” she replied and suddenly, before they could even blink, Felicia’s eyes shot open. Their eyes widened as they watched the blonde slowly get up before she was quickly smothered in a tight embrace.
Felicia let out a soft yelp as she felt Harry’s arms envelop her firmly. Her wide eyes traveled from Maria to Natasha before she shut them closed and leaned her head against his, stroking his back gently.
His heart hammering in his chest, Harry slowly pulled away and held Felicia close. Staring deep into her eyes, he asked hoarsely, “What the hell just happened?”
“As I assumed, the magic I sensed inside her was keeping her safe from every external influence,” the Ancient One stated calmly, making everyone turn to her. “I assume it was yours?”
Harry nodded, while Felicia gently rubbed her mark right over her cleavage.
The Ancient One smiled. “Your magic is one with the key of the Infinity Stones, and as such, their influence will be significantly reduced on those you have claimed, for the lack of a better word. As such, it merely took a contact with her spectral form to get her back to the land of the awake.”
“What about Sylvia?” Felicia asked quickly, glancing at the other woman who remained unconscious.
The Ancient One also glanced over and let out a small sigh. “Unfortunately, the bond did not exist with her, so the influence of the Mind Stone would remain with her.” She glanced over at Felicia who was about to speak up. “And no, even if you form a bond with her now, it would not negate the influence the Mind Stone already has on her. Do not forget that she had been suffering under its effects for a long while now.”
Felicia’s eyes widened in triumph and she turned to Harry with a smug look. Harry did not need to hear it again, and fortunately, Felicia sensed as much, as she merely patted his cheek lovingly.
“Is there anything we can do for her?” She asked, turning back to the woman in yellow robes. “She doesn’t look like she’ll be waking up anytime soon.”
“No, she would not,” the Ancient One shook her head. “I cannot say for certain, but until the effects of the Mind Stone are completely extracted from her, I do not foresee her waking up at all.”
“How can we do it?” Harry asked firmly, intent on putting this matter behind them once and for all. His sad gaze fell on Sylvia and the unbidden memories of their time together filled his mind. He shut his eyes firmly and his jaw shook as he clenched it.
“From what I have come to understand so far, the Death Stone can reverse the effects of the other stones, but it cannot nullify the influence of an Infinity Stone from something that has for all intents and purposes absorbed it for a prolonged period,” the Ancient One theorized, earning a nod from Harry. “However, it should be possible for you to extract whatever influence there is and transfer it to another vessel.”
“So… taking its effects out from her and giving it to someone else?” Natasha asked.
“Indeed,” the Ancient One nodded. “However, be mindful of the risks here. The effects could potentially have catastrophic effects for whoever this vessel would be, but only if their mind is not compatible.”
“You mean we need to find someone whose mind might be compatible with the Mind Stone for them to handle its powers, right?” Harry asked.
“As I said, the Mind Stone has the power to expand consciousness beyond normal limits. It could very well give rise to certain supernatural abilities in someone who is compatible enough.”
“Like Steve Rogers,” Maria said softly. She turned to fix the Ancient One with a raised eyebrow. “The super-soldier project killed many, but he survived and came out with his abilities because he was resilient enough to go through it. That is what I believe you mean by compatibility. Am I right?”
“That is another way to put it,” the Ancient One replied. “You must be sure about this though. It could be catastrophic if this power falls into the wrong hands. Someone evil could wither away if you expose them to it, but they could prove to be compatible enough. I’m sure none of us would want that.”
“Thank you,” Harry said with a nod as they all got to their feet. “I shall be on the lookout for a suitable candidate for this.”
“Feel free to call on me if you find yourself in need of help, Harry Potter. It would always be an honor to aid the Master of Death and his dear companions.”
With a final nod of gratitude, Harry led everyone out of the chamber. This time, instead of letting Sylvia hover in the air, Harry kept her lifted in his arms as they made their way back through Kamar-Taj’s winding corridors they had entered through. A few onlookers were watching them leave as they crossed the courtyard.
As they stepped out of the main gate and into the crisp mountain air, the ancient gates slowly closed behind them, sealing off the mystical sanctuary once more.
There was darkness all around them as Harry whisked them back home, covering thousands of miles in a mere second. They appeared in the middle of the living room of his apartment, and there was no one in sight.
“She must be working on locating the Tesseract,” Maria remarked, talking about Betty, and Harry nodded.
“I’d better put her in bed,” he said with a small smile and walked up the stairs.
All three women stared at his retreating form with small frowns before they glanced at each other and sighed as they took their seats on the couch.
“He’s feeling sorry,” Natasha said softly, earning a scoff from Felicia.
“No wonder he is. He just got told she’s basically innocent.”
“Can we say that with 100% certainty?” Maria asked.
All Felicia needed to do was open their mind link and they all were shown what she had seen while she’d been unconscious. Their eyes widened as they stared at the blonde.
“I showed that to Harry when that bald woman told him about it,” she said softly. “Believe me, she’s completely innocent. A bit weird in the head because of unresolved daddy issues and whatnot, but she’s not the evil tyrant we thought she was. Or rather, you did. I knew she was innocent from the get go.”
Natasha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, alright. You knew it from the beginning. There’s no need to rub it in.”
All it did was earn her an amused look from the blonde woman who leaned back on the couch and stared up the stairs where Harry had just vanished.
“If only he’d marked and claimed her as his when they first fucked,” she muttered, shaking her head.
XXXXX
The soft hum of advanced equipment filled the air as Dr. Elizabeth Ross hunched over a complex array of monitors and holographic displays in one of the rooms of Harry’s apartment. The lab comprised of state-of-the-art equipment and technology provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. and was dimly lit save for the blue glow of screens and the occasional spark from the nearby machines. The woman had been hard at work, and she had long since lost track of time.
She was as attentive as ever though, with not a hint of fatigue visible on her face. Her eyes were focused, darting between displays that showed energy readings, astronomical data, and many complex algorithms. She remained hunched over as her fingers flew across multiple keyboards, inputting new parameters and adjusting the variables by the minuscule margins in her quest to pinpoint the location of the Tesseract. A 3D model of the Earth rotated slowly in the center of the room with occasional pulses of light flashing across its surface.
“Come on… Come on…” the brunette muttered under her breath, chewing on her bottom lip softly as she ran a hand through her lush brown hair. “Where are you hiding?”
She reached out for a mug of cold coffee she had fixed for herself a few hours ago, sighing as she relished the sweet taste. Her endeavor had been fruitless so far and she would take whatever little pleasure she could get right now.
A sudden beep from one of the machines caught her attention and she shot out of her chair, rushing over with hope flaring in her eyes. The hope was extinguished instantly as she read the output.
“Another false positive,” she murmured, sighing as she took another sip and slumped back in the chair. She drummed her fingertips on the armrest, wondering if she should try something else. “Maybe if I recalibrate the quantum fluctuation sensors…”
She turned to a nearby whiteboard covered in equations and diagrams. She erased a section and began scribbling furiously, muttering to herself as she worked through the problem. The soft green glow of a nearby gamma radiation detector shone in her eyes, something that had been so familiar to her for a while now. It was a constant reminder of how dangerous that force could be.
Several minutes passed with her working on the equations and finally, she stepped back, surveying her work. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
“This might just work,” she whispered and returned to the main workstation. Her fingers flew over the keyboard once again as she implemented the new theory she had come up with. Suspended in the middle of the room, the holographic 3D image of Earth began to rotate rapidly as new data points began to appear and disappear rapidly. She gazed at the screen and sighed as she read the prompt.
Analysis in progress.
Estimated completion time: 87 minutes.
Sighing, she fell back on the chair and lifted a leg on the desk to make herself comfortable. She had a long wait ahead.
A few minutes passed in relative silence as Betty kept drumming her fingers on the armrest of her chair, her unseeing eyes gazing in the distance as random thoughts kept popping up in her head. Multiple thoughts were discarded until her mind flashed back to what had happened the previous night and early this morning.
A flush enveloped her cheek as she thought about Harry’s actions and how eagerly she had responded to him. His touch had been electric, and she had started craving more of it now. So far, she had been little more than a voyeur in private, but the previous night was the first time Harry had seen her in that state. The look in his eyes screamed that he knew what she wanted, and that he was as eager to give it to her as she was to take it all.
That belief had only been reinforced this past morning when he had touched her without reservation. It had been nothing too illicit but it certainly was not platonic, not that she had expected things between them to remain platonic after their silent interaction the previous night.
Her fingers gently stroked the side of her neck where he had been kissing her softly and her eyes closed shut as she imagined how it had felt back then. His manhood, large, hard, and ready to take her, had been resting between the curves of her rear, and she had felt the entirety of him back then. By the end of it, she had been left wanting more.
Her eyes blearily opened and she gazed at the prompt once again.
Estimated completion time: 69 minutes.
“Oh fuck it,” she whispered under her breath and lifted her other leg on the desk as well, parting her legs wide. Lifting her hips, she pulled her white leggings over the curve of her ass and allowed it to slide down her knees. Reaching over, she pulled them off her legs and gently dropped them on the floor. Her top met the same fate – the same top Harry had complimented this past morning, and she stroked the fabric gently as she pulled it over her head, shaking her hair to take it off. It joined her leggings on the floor, and in no time, the alluring brunette was left in nothing but her bra and knickers.
One hand came up to grope her breast over her bra while the other slid under the waistband of her knickers. She traced a finger along her hot, damp slit. Even the mere thought of Harry had made her so wet already.
A soft moan escaped her lips as a pleasure-filled tingle shot up her spine. Her eyes shut as she began to let her mind wander. Visions of Harry pressing up firmly against her from behind, pushing her against the kitchen counter as he ground his erection against her rear shot forth to the forefront of her mind, and soon, she began to imagine what could have happened. She imagined his hands slowly sliding across her waist, pushing under her top and climbing up until he was groping her tits, and in tandem with what she was imagining, her hand obliged the movements as she began to gently squeeze and caress her tits one after the other. All the while, she imagined the hand belonged to Harry as she breathed raggedly.
Her imagination only improved as he pressed his lips against hers, pulling her into a sensuous kiss that took her breath away. One of his hands pulled away from her tits and trailed a sinful path down under her knickers, just as her hand was in reality, and began to stroke her soft, wet petals.
Betty threw her head back as she pleasured herself, imagining it was Harry who was doing everything to her. Her fingers under her knickers gently parted her folds before she slipped two fingers past her taut, wet lips and sank them into her dripping folds. Her palm rubbed hotly against her clit as she moved it about, imagining it was Harry who was treating her so roughly, as her digits sank even deeper inside her.
Her moans had gotten louder, unbeknownst to her, and her breathing had grown more labored. Her imagination guided her movements, and she reached over behind herself, unsnapping her bra and pulling it off herself, groping her naked tits roughly, imagining it was Harry’s large, calloused hand that was stroking her bare flesh.
Her thoughts gradually got more debauched and she parted her legs even wider, plunging her digits furiously inside her sodden quim. She wondered what a sight she must look like right now, with her legs hiked on the desk and parted wide, and her body resting in a chair, as one hand groped her naked tits while the other repeatedly drilled inside her pussy, and the thought of someone stumbling on her and discovering the state she was in made her even hotter. Try as she might, she could not help but wish it was the man of her desires who found her like this and it gave him the final impetus he perhaps needed to give her what she wanted.
Betty had her eyes firmly shut as she imagined it was Harry who had finally stripped her bare in the kitchen and had bent her over the counter as he plunged his massive erection deep inside her. Her mind conjured the images of Harry taking her in every way imaginable, in whatever position he wanted to take her, and wherever he wanted to fuck her. She imagined it was his large cock she had seen so many times now that was drilling inside her pussy, and not her fingers, and the imagination gave further rise to the desire of having him inside her. For too long had she waited, confused and undecided, but now, after having that silent exchange with him the previous night and seeing his desire for her first hand this past morning, no doubts persisted in her mind.
She gasped and moaned as she played with her nipples and rubbed her engorged clit hotly, imagining it was Harry’s face hovering over her as he plunged his rod deep into her quivering snatch. She could practically feel his heat all over her front, as naked and sweaty as she was right now, his hot breath right on her lips as he ravaged her.
Betty pushed another finger inside her pussy, and her mouth opened in a gasp at the sensation. Four fingers were inside her right now, and she had never been stretched so wonderfully before. Her mind kept replaying her visions, and she was swimming in arousal. Her hips began to move, meeting the thrusts of her fingers midway as she gyrated on the chair, its squeaking drowning under the vehement moans and whimpers that left her mouth, all carrying the same word.
“Harry,” she whimpered again.
Her breath got caught in her throat as she was finally sent tumbling over the edge. An orgasm, as powerful as the one she’d had the previous night when he had seen her watching them fuck, washed over her and she shook violently on the chair. Her fingers were soaked as her juices shot out of her pussy, spraying over her palm and the floor, and all she could do was remain rigidly seated, her body spasming. Her firm, large breasts jiggled and bounced as she shook in the aftermath of her orgasm, as she slowly dragged her hand out of her soaked knickers and blearily gazed at her release.
Over half an hour passed with Betty lying there, prone and naked with her orgasmic juices smeared all around her pussy. Her soaked panties remained as such as she stared up at the ceiling.
Suddenly, a series of rapid beeping emanated from the main console and Betty slowly glanced over. Her mind caught up to what she had been doing in here and she quickly shot to her feet, her legs shaking slightly as she rushed over, naked and clad in only her damp knickers, and stared at the screen.
“No way,” she breathed, her wide eyes scanning the readouts that appeared on the screen. “This can’t be right… right?”
She double-checked the data, going back and forth, and triple-checked her solution on the whiteboard, her nakedness not even registering with her as she frantically moved from station to station, adjusting equipment, refining algorithms, and analyzing the data over and over again. The result remained the same.
It was a faint energy signature, but it was unmistakable. It resembled the unique quantum fingerprint of the Tesseract that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been working on and had compiled the data for.
Betty’s hands had already been shaking and they still shook as she slowly zoomed in on the map. The signature was faint, and fluctuating, as if something was interfering with it, but she could see its location clearly on the screen.
“I found you,” she whispered with a mix of triumph and pride in her voice. She had truly done it. Her eyes remained affixed to the glowing dot on the map, and she committed the name of the location to memory.
“Sokovia,” she whispered, grinning.
XXXXX
In the depths of a hidden HYDRA facility in Sokovia, fluorescent lights flickered ominously, casting harsh shadows across the faces of dozens of frightened civilians. The air was thick with fear and the acrid smell of chemicals and disinfectants.
Dr. List, a stern-faced and calculating man in a white lab coat stood atop the staircase, surveying the gathered crowd over the monitor with cold eyes. His voice echoed throughout the chamber as he spoke over the microphone, “You have been chosen for the glory of HYDRA. Your sacrifice will usher in a new age of human evolution.”
The gathered civilians – men and women from teenage to middle age, all looked haggard and malnourished. Some clung to their family for comfort while a few stood alone, their eyes darting about as they looked for any chance to escape. They had been over four hundred when this had begun, but only a few days later, less than two dozen remained.
Armed guards stood sentry, lining the walls and the staircase with their weapons trained on the small crowd. Baron von Strucker, one of the senior leaders of HYDRA, stood alongside a small platoon, his monocle glinting as he observed the proceedings. Things had started swimmingly, and they had identified a few prospects who could be used for their project, only for them to succumb to the radiation in the end. Their goal was simple – they would subject the people to a concentrated blast of radiation from the Tesseract to see if they showed any positive correlation, and once they had the scepter under their control, they would use its powers to enhance those individuals. With the power of the Tesseract at their disposal, collecting the scepter would be easy enough. For now, though, the Tesseract was enough to fulfill their objective of making weapons and defensive barriers – like the one that surrounded the property they were in.
“Send the next group in,” Strucker commanded, his German accent crisp and authoritative.
Scientists in hazmat suits began to move through the small crowd, selecting individuals at random. Those who were chosen were led, either willingly or struggling, toward a reinforced door at the far end of the chamber.
A young woman, seemingly in her early twenties, broke away from the group. “Please!” She begged, her eyes filled with tears and her voice cracking. “We didn’t agree to this! Please let us go!”
A guard moved to intercept her, but Strucker raised a hand to stop him. He approached the woman, his smile cold and predatory. “My dear,” he whispered. “Your agreement is irrelevant. You have the opportunity to become a part of something far greater than yourself.”
As he spoke, the door at the far end of the chamber opened and everyone turned around as an ethereal blue glow emanated from within. The Tesseract, pulsing with otherworldly energy, was set in an intricate apparatus, sitting at the center of the laboratory.
“The next stage of human evolution awaits!” Dr. List announced grandly over the speakers once again. “And I hope we find someone who would be strong enough to embrace it.”
Fear and uncertainty rippled through the crowd. Some shrunk back while there were a few who straightened and stepped forward, a mix of resignation and desperate hope driving them forward.
Standing together near the wall, a pair of twins who looked to be in their twenties exchanged a determined look. The girl squeezed her brother’s hand, their faces set with a grim resolve. They had made their choice. Driven by a desire to survive and protect their homeland, they had made the deal with the devil. Now, it was time to face their demons, for good or worse.
To be continued…
